Secret Valentine
by Kimiko Heroux
Summary: my second Frontier valentine's day oneshot, this one on time actually haha. it features my OC Mirai from WYWG. Pairings to be read in the story; don't wanna give them away and spoil it


**My second Valentine's Day one-shot. I decided to go with Frontier again, since I just love to work with the Frontier gang. And at this point, I made Mirai to have everything I couldn't, meaning a good relationship and a great boyfriend, etc. I get super depressed around Valentine's Day, and I tried to do this for a bit of a pick-me-up.**

**This takes place after my sequel and so reveals small details of my plotline, but not that many and not that major. The gang's in high school, soon to step headfirst into life.**

**Enjoy!**

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Secret Valentine

~Mirai's POV~

I can still remember the smell of freshly-melted chocolate wafting through the air from the kitchen, a little whiff of heaven. I still remember the way my brother Yukio smiled as he arranged the little homemade chocolates on waxed paper all in little rows as he hummed to himself the tune to Secret Valentine by We The Kings. I could never recall a moment when he was so eager for this holiday to arrive. I never had seen the side of him that actually wanted to make Valentine's Day a day he celebrated.

Smiling to myself and tucking my sandy brown bangs behind my ear, I entered the room, walking on my toes to prevent the sound of my footsteps on the floor. I knew my presence wasn't yet known to him so I began to sing out the refrain as he hummed the melody, "We'll write a song that turns out the lights when both boy and girl start suddenly shaking inside. Don't waste your time, speed up your breathing, just close your eyes. We'll hope it's not for nothing at all~!"

My sudden vocalizing startled him and he dropped the pan of chocolates he was holding. But I was actually prepared for the reaction and I dove down and caught it. My two ventures into the Digital World had improved my thinking skills and reaction time, having been bound with one of the Legendary Warriors. "Hey hey, Yuki," I gave a wry smile as I held the tray up to him and he set it upon the counter. "You're such a little klutz." I arose to my feet and my eyes scanning over the chocolates, I snatched the largest one and popped it into my mouth. _Chocolate meltaway. Mmm…_

His eyes darted toward me to give me a small scowl. "I'm sorry I don't live up to your standards, oh great Warrior of Time," he retorted, beginning to place the chocolates from the pan with the others on the wax paper. His sarcastic remark didn't hurt me at all; it was all in innocence. Besides, if I were to bring up the things of the Digital World that he had experienced, I couldn't be sure what would occur. What happened during the DigiDestined's second visit to the world linked to ours really seemed to affect my brother. And in the long run, he had changed almost as much as I had.

But those sequel-spoiler-thoughts aside, resting my elbows on the counter and my chin in my hands, I looked at Yukio with a sneer, devious smirk. "So who's the lucky lady that gets all these drops of heaven? Hmm…" I pressed my index finger up to my lips, trying to look overly intertwined with thought. "What girl would my big bro go for? Man, that's a toughie…" I refrained from laughing at the reaction that I got from my older brother.

I watched in amusement as his face deepened into a red that was deeper than the cherries he put in some of the chocolates. His violet eyes darted everywhere except for on me as he then questioned in a way to try to keep me guessing, "How do you know that Koji didn't tell me to make them for him to give to you?" _Because if that were the case, you probably wouldn't have made them then,_ I answered in my head without much time after he spoke.

Licking chocolate off of my fingers, I responded as-a-matter-of-factly, "Because he knows me well enough to realize I woulda wanted to help make the chocolates instead of just receiving them." He should have known by now there was just no escaping my interrogation. Being linked with a digital Spirit on several occasions, I began to notice different habits that showed when someone was lying. And in this case, it was because his pinky finger on his right hand was twitching oddly.

There wasn't much of a reply to this. Yukio merely made a "hmm" noise that showed he wasn't really paying attention to my own answer to care and continued to prepare the chocolates. There wasn't much of a chance that I was gonna get a straight answer from him. I was fine with that, since I'd know eventually who he gave the chocolates to. But I already had my theories as to who had a secret admirer of my brother. And I was about to spoil my own fun.

I straightened my posture and exited the room. I had my own things to attend to at the current moment. Since it was the day before Valentine's Day, I had to find at least _something_ for Koji. I had procrastinated long enough, I figured, and now I had to confront myself with the challenge of the year. Koichi had already warned me beforehand that his younger twin was hard to shop for, but my ignorance merely dismissed that. Well, until I figured out just how hard Koji was to buy for. In fact, I had been trying to think of something since the last week of January, but had no dice in the matter. I couldn't even think of anything to get for him, despite my long hours of brainstorming.

Shoving my wallet into the pocket of my jeans, putting on a hoodie, and slipping on my shoes, I went out the front door to hit the town in search for a gift for my pretty little boyfriend. As I made my way down the sidewalk, I pulled out the phone I had gotten for a recent birthday and held the number three down to speed dial a number in my phonebook. I heard the click of the other line picking up and I instantly said, "Time to go into the fray once again."

: … : … :

"I've been whacked in the head by Grumblemon's hammer, poisoned by burgers, got my butt kicked by ShadowSeraphimon, and things in the sequel I shouldn't spoil, but I must admit, none of those even come close to this." My closest friend gave me a blaming glance as I circled around him, running my hands along his sleeves, feeling the material of the shirt he was wearing. "Can't I just go home and play COD to wash away my anxiety? Because this certainly doesn't help."

I reached for the back of his neck and flipped out the sale tag, glancing at the price another time. "C'mon, Taky. You promised you'd help me find something for Koji. And if it comes down to me having to giving him this corny sweater, then that's what he's getting." I frowned at the way the overly-expensive sweater fit on Takuya's frame. And since his build was quite similar to the Warrior of Light's, I knew it wasn't going to be right on him either. "Besides, this should help you get your mind off of Zoe."

Ever since our last venture to the Digital World, Takuya and Zoe were sort of going through a rough patch. Zoe asked Takuya if it was alright if they took some time off because she wasn't completely sure what she wanted and Takuya, not wanting to hurt the blonde, said she could take all the time she wanted, even though that was the last thing he wanted. And now they'd become so distanced from each other that the brunette wasn't even sure if they were even going to get back together. He tried to take his mind off of it by the substantial increase of video game time, but really that gave him even more time to ponder about his current situation. And with Valentine's Day quickly growing closer, it felt wrong to allow him to be alone with such a holiday in existence.

So this was what I thought of to keep my best friend out of the dumps and from frying his brain from staring at the TV screen all day long.

He frowned when I mentioned his ex's name so absentmindedly like I had. "I don't know what you've been smoking, but I'm pretty sure shopping for your succeeding relationship won't get my mind off of my failing one."

I gave him a skeptical look in response to his latest, glum comment. "Well, when you put it _that_ way…" I turned my attention away from the ugly sweater he was wearing momentarily and began to examine a different shirt on a hook. It was a white, button-up dress shirt that pleased me the second I saw it. _JiJi'd look super sexy if he kept that unbuttoned…_ I thought, letting my mind wander off into its little, Koji-centered fantasies that always allowed him to have such a sex appeal. Not that he didn't anyway.

As I reached to pull the button-up shirt off its hanger, Takuya questioned to me in irritation, obviously not too pleased with the sweater he was involuntarily wearing for probably more reason than one, "Can I take this piece of crap off now?"

I smiled to myself in the imaginings that came into my brain, not moving my eyes onto the Warrior of Flame as I answered him, "Yep. But before you put your own shirt back on, try this on. And button it only a part of the way." I threw the shirt at him and he caught it in his fist in one smooth, whip-like motion, reflexes gained from his link with the Spirits of Flame. "I wanna just…you know, see something." I held back my chuckle of eagerness.

The brunette looked at me with perplexity before walking back into the changing room to make the shirt exchange. And when he emerged with the white shirt on, only about two or three buttons in their holes at the bottom, his chest was mostly exposed through the opening of the shirt. And if I wasn't currently in a relationship with Koji, Takuya would've been my sole target. His chest and arms were well-toned from playing soccer and working out in high school, and the mostly-translucent, alluringly-styled shirt only added to the sexiness he had that was extremely evident. You could tell by the shape of his face and his overall body frame that he was in good shape, but once he actually _dressed_ for that sort of attention…oi…

He shoved his hand into his jean pocket, putting more weight onto one leg than the other, and said flatly even though he probably appreciated the gesture, "Stop staring."

Blinking a few times, I objected to his statement rather bluntly, choosing my words carefully so Takuya doesn't go off and report to Koji that I was lusting one of my exes who happened to also be his best friend and fellow Warrior, "I'm not staring, just…visualizing."

Judging by the Warrior of Flames narrowed eyes, I figured that he didn't necessarily believe my words. But then again, I didn't really either. "Okay, turn around." I walked over to him and looked at the way the shirt was sewn and how it hung off of his frame. It fit very nicely; snug, but not too tight. It was like the story of Goldilocks right here. Not too baggy, not too tight. Just right. _Perfect._ "How does it feel?" I asked as I looked at the cuffs and then noticing the price tag. _Holy _kuso_, why does this have to be both really nice and really expensive at the same time? Fifty bucks…_

Takuya shrugged in answering of my question while smiling to himself. I should've known this was giving him a big head. "It's really cool and light. And dude do I look _hot_ in it!" He admired himself in the mirror, grinning with his I'm-coming-onto-you face, and quoted Joey from Friends by saying in a new, strange voice, "How you doin'?"

Neither one of us expected a response. "I'd be better if _you_ were with me. Whatdya say, Taky?"

We both turned around and standing nearby looking at Takuya was a girl from our high school. Her name was Tamiko Hira. She was valedictorian of our class, metals from several different sports, and to boot, wasn't overall that bad-looking. She had long, jet black hair with bangs that swept around to form the frame of her face and the brightest green eyes that were like jade. Her smile was bright and innocent, and she had the singing voice that surpassed mine with no sweat. She had gotten so many solos with it, it put the rest of the choir to shame. But despite all of this academic achievements, it hardly ever went to her head and she actually chose to stay away from the cliques of the popular kids. Her head was screwed on so perfectly, I thought for sure she wasn't even real, like a robot or something.

Then of course, my brunette friend didn't miss a single beat. "'Course." He gave me a smirk that had 'score!' written all over it with a small thumbs up as he grabbed his own t-shirt and while still wearing the shirt that _I _was gonna buy, paid for it, and walked out of the store with his arm around Tamiko's shoulders. I couldn't deny it; every single day that boy never ceased to amaze me. He never seemed to run out of his quirky little surprises.

And he just walked away with the only thing I found worth getting Koji. But I digress, it was more for me than him. Hehe…

: … : … :

Valentine's Day. Oh the joy.

I actually wasn't that bummed out about the holiday, to be honest. Koji promised we'd spend the day together—he had it all planned out, apparently—and then in the evening, we were gonna go to the park to meet the rest of the Warriors and spend the rest of Valentine's together as a group. I didn't know whose idea that was to bring everyone together, since at this point, it was kind of hard to keep contact with high school and our futures taking over our concentration, but whoever it was, I had to credit to him for this amount of planning.

But right now, my current predicament was finding exactly what to wear. I wasn't big on dressing up, but I knew I had to make an effort. At times like these, I'd normally call up Zoe and ask what would be suitable for the day, but today I decided that maybe I could fend for myself in the matter. I knew that Koji would say I looked good, no matter what I put on, but this was one of the occasions that deserved at least a little effort in appearance.

I had thrown all of my best clothes out upon my bed, ogling at each one for a moment before turning to the next one, a frown on my face. I wanted to surprise Koji with something he'd never seen, but honestly, I didn't remember what Zoe had put me in all the other times we went out formally. And now was about the time I realized that I should've bought something for myself when I went shopping for Koji. Oh well, it was too late now. Koji might just have to deal with normal ol' me.

"Need some help?"

I turned and saw my mom peering through the doorway, a smile on her face, holding something behind her back. "I got something that you'd look great in." She held up a dress out to me on a hanger. "I wore it in high school. I'm sure after Koji sees you in this, he'll fall head over heels. It's the dress that got your father; it's lucky." She laughed to herself as I examined the dress a little closer. It was a spaghetti-strap, the classic little black dress.

Raising an eyebrow, I put on the smallest of smirks, feeling my face redden a bit at her wording. "Uh…sure. Thanks, Mom." I then turned to look at myself in the hand mirror I had brought from the bathroom; I didn't have an actually mirror in my room and that surprised the hell outta Zoe first time she came. "Okay, so then what do I do with my hair?" I ran my fingers through my brown mess that in modern society was called hair. "It looks like crap."

She walked over and setting the dress on my bed, started looking at my hair from all angles. "I can work with this." She gave me a grin. "If you'll let me. I remember when I was your age, I never let my mother touch my hair. She fussed over every single thing about me. I'm not like that too much, am I?"

Beginning to work with my appearance, she had me change into the dress and set myself down in a chair as she stood behind me, going through my hair with a brush. I stared at myself intently through the bathroom mirror, glowering. I didn't understand why Koji wanted _me_; I wasn't pretty, he could've done so much better than the likes of me. Between me and the girls he could've gone for, there was an expanse so large I couldn't see them on the other side. And then there were my ever-changing purple eyes. It was like they were bipolar or something.

Mom set the brush down and began to pull back some of my bangs, securing them behind my head with a scrunchie and few bobby pins, allowing the tips to hang down with the rest of my hair. She then proceeded to put in a deep blue headband, and then with the bangs that weren't pulled back, she curved off to the side of my face in one big tuff. And by the expression she had on her face that I could see in the mirror, the way this turned out pleased her to no end.

"There," she concluded, resting her hands on my shoulders after finishing. "You're gorgeous."

I began to stand up, saying, "Yeah. Sure. Let's call me that." I exited the room and walked down the hall. I opened up the closet to find myself a small jacket to put on so I wouldn't freeze to death, and began to scavenge for one. But as I was doing so, I heard the doorbell ring and quit my search, walking over and opening the door. "Oh, hey Koji."

The Warrior of Light smiled his bright, shining smile at me, looking as glorious as an angel at this moment. He wore a fancy black tux and his hair was pulled back and shiny. His eyes glittered (not Edward Cullen glitter of course; that'd be insulting Koji) with happiness their beautiful blue hue. And when he first looked at me, I saw his eyes grow wide and his face a deep crimson. "Holy mother of…Mirai, you—" He attempted to compose himself. "I mean, are you ready?"

I laughed at his jumpy behavior. I hadn't seen him like this around me before. Mom musta did a pretty good job, I concluded. "Yeah, just let me grab a jacket." I spun around to go back in, but he touched my arm and I turned back towards him in my curiosity.

"No need." He immediately slipped off his jacket and handed it to me without a single hesitation on his part. When I gave him a quizzical look, he gave me a deranged grin one would most likely expect from Takuya and answered quickly, "Dad told me to do it. He said it'd impress you." He chuckled with me, his face showing the embarrassment of admitting that he took his father's advice on how to woo girls. But hey, I couldn't help but realize that it worked.

I beamed while sliding into his jacket and walking next to him, closed the door behind me. "Let's just pretend it worked," I retorted as he put his arm around me into a warm, casual embrace, beginning to walk to the location of his first planned place to visit on this day of love. "So where we off to, JiJi?"

He smiled at the name that had lasted through the years and answered me with a wry look in his eyes, "You'll see when we get there." He pulled me closer, tight against his firm figure. The day was somewhat warm for a February day, but I wasn't one to complain. I was here with Koji, wearing his jacket, in his comforting arms. I knew so many girls in my high school that were so envious, because the younger twin was quite the high school hottie that had every girl throwing rocks at his window.

After a few minutes of walking, we came to a small, cozy little restaurant and he held the door open for me. I stepped inside and looked around. It was a dim-lighted, but not as dim as one would see in the fanciest of restaurants. It was nicely decorated for the holiday and music was playing on a stereo in the background, just popular, modern-day love songs by well-known bands and artists. The couples there seemed to be also in their teen years, some of the people I recognized from school, but most not. There was a wood-floored area cleared and the tables were arranged about around it. Some of the couples were dancing there, but most were busy eating and enjoying the company of their significant other.

Koji took my hand and led me over to a table where he helped me out of his jacket and then pulled out a chair for me. I seated and he then sat himself down directly across from me. "Nice place, don't you think, Mirai?" he questioned, lifting a menu to see what was on it for an early dinner, though still eying me with curious azure orbs. He held within himself a look that said that he knew that I liked it, that he had officially outdone himself this time.

I proceeded to scan my own menu as I answered him, "Yeah, it's nice. How'd you find it anyway, Koji?" The waiter brought out waters and introduced himself and when he left, I grabbed my water and sipped some from the glass through mostly-pursed lips. I glanced up at him, looking for a response.

He suddenly grinned at me like there was something really genius that he did in accordance with my question. "Google."

Letting out a small laugh, I reached across the table to put my hand on his. "You can always trust Google," I admitted rather sarcastically, casting a smile his way. I knew I could leave it up to him to make everything absolutely perfect. After all, he had perfection running through his veins like the very blood in his enmity. And for him to come up with something as nice as this, and whatever he had planned to come, he was just a beautiful miracle worker.

The waiter came back and took our orders and then our menus, and departing, told us it'd be a little bit before our meals would come. And with that said and him gone, Koji said to me, "I'll be back. Want to dance when I get back?" He looked deep into my eyes and I felt my heart skip a beat in the same way that occurred when he first set his gaze on me that day we went to the Digital World for the very first time when this all began. The memories…

I stood up as he walked away, wiping out all the creases in my black dress. My eyes scanned the dance floor as I heard the song stop. I found it slightly strange, knowing that the song was only about halfway done at this point, but I wasn't one to really care. The current dancers looked sort of confused at the sudden interruption, but as soon as I saw Koji walking back over, I knew what was up. And then when he led me out into the open, my hand secure in his, the song began to play:

"_It's like we're standing outside while they're looking out the window, picking up pace, losing control. Of all the things we are, all the things we know, it's like ay! It's like aaay~! It's like I just couldn't care less but I'm wrapped around her finger, started placing all my bets the day that we met. And staying up too late, the way you make me wait. It's like ay! It's like aaay~! Ohhh!"_

We danced in perfect synchronization and I laughed. Leave it to Koji to find the perfect song to dance to.

"_Don't you know if you go, you go without me. Don't you leave me as if you never cared at all. If you go, don't go, go without me. Don't you need me?"_

Memories flew in my mind with the lyrics. The Digital World gave me so many mental images to supply with such a song, all of our exploits in a world parallel to the one we lived within, some of these adventures rather seemingly ridiculous at first. Like our Toucanmon spat, for one big example.

"_So say, ah ay ah ay, you are my everything. Just say, ah ay ah ay, I'm hanging onto every word you said. A part of me will never be the same."_

"_It's like she takes me up at ten, but she leaves me at eleven. Now you're tellin' all your friends everything you intend. All the things you do, I love the way you move, it's like aaay~!"_ Koji looked directly at me right at this moment, smiling his ever-so bright smile, mouthing the next words as they came out of the speakers, making my face grow red and let out a girly giggle, _"Ohh, she wears that little black dress, always simple, but it's sexy. I need you in your best so I won't forget. All the way, say you love me, gotta hear you say it, ay ay ay aaay~!"_

"_So say, ah ay ah ay, you are my everything. Just say, ah ay ah ay, I'm hanging onto every word you said. A part of me will never be the same. Say so, just say so, say so, say so, just say so, say so, say so, just say so, say so, say so, just saaay…"_

"_You are the light up ahead at the end of the road. When I look in your eyes, girl, it feels like I'm home. I need this night, yes it's late, but morning will come, I know and I know and I knooow. As you fall fast asleep with your head on my chest, I watch you breathe in and out as you're finding your rest. I need this night, yes it's late, but morning will come, I know and I know and I knooow…"_

We both began to whisper along with the lyrics, grinning at each other in full enjoyment of the other's much-appreciated company. I racked my brain over and over, but I couldn't find many moments that surpassed the one we were living at that very moment.

"_So say, ah ay ah ay, you are my everything. Just say, ah aaay..."_

"_So say, ah ay ah ay, you are my everything. Just say, ah ay ah ay, I'm hanging onto every word you said. So say, ah ay, ah ay, ah ay, ah ay, you are my everything, baby. Just say, ah ay, ah ay, ah ay, ah ay, I'm hanging onto every word that you said. A part of me will never be, no, a part of me will never be, no, a part of me will never be the same…"_

I found myself breaking the smallest of sweats after the song ended and I held onto Koji as I caught my breath. "That was sweet, JiJi," I noted, pushing hair out of my eyes and adjusting my headband. "I can't believe you thought of that."

"It's not a problem," he replied quickly. "Oh, if you don't mind, could I give you your gift now. I want to see it on you." I gave a silent comply and he pulled out a little box from his pocket. Flipping the top up, I saw a necklace on a silver chain with a shiny blue metal shaped into a heart, a metal that I instantly recognized from our last trip to the Digital World. "Do you like it?" I could tell immediately that he already knew that answer to the question.

I felt breath get caught into my throat. "My God, Koji… it's-it's blue Chrome Digizoid. But…?" I looked up at him for the answer to the question that I couldn't finish.

He expected such a response. "I kept some after our last venture to the Digital World. I figured that such a metal that saved our lives is worth treasuring." He chuckled at his own words. "'Cept I couldn't find a single person that knew how to work with such a metal. Everyone I went to refused to do anything with it because I couldn't tell them what it was without sounding utterly insane. So I had to take matters into my own hands. I think it could've gone better, don't you?"

Admiring the beautifully-crafted metal and running the smooth, navy blue heart under my fingers, I shook my head. "No, it's perfect. Better than a jeweler could even dream of crafting." I pulled it out of the box and he clipped it around my neck so it could hang down just above the neckline of my dress. "Oh…I would've gotten you something, but Takuya walked out of the store with it on, and I figured you didn't want an ugly sweater than one would expect Bokomon to make."

He beamed at my statement as a soft, slow song began to play in the background, catching my drift. I stepped towards him and he put his hands on my back when I put mine around his neck. We moved gently like a breeze with the melody and I rested my head against his firm chest, closing my eyes to let the rhapsody take me away like a current in the ocean. The way his hands felt like on my back gave me comfort and made me feel secure, like in the arms of an angel. And he was _my_ angel…

: … : … :

I swirled my cup in my hand, listening to the sound of the ice inside clunk against the sides. "Wow, it's been a while since the gang's been all together—well…mostly." I sipped my soda through the straw, looking around from at my place on a swing for the Warrior of Wind who was currently somewhere else, despite how late it was now, the streetlights our main source of light, the sun halfway set at this point. I hadn't seen her all day; she knew she was supposed to be here, except as usual, she was considerably late. That was only typical Zoe behavior.

"Where is Zoe anyway?" Tommy questioned, looking to his superior Warriors for an answer, since he was still in his last year of junior high and didn't get to see the rest of the Warriors much for the reason of his school's location. Although you could hardly tell he was still in middle school. His growth spurt struck and now he was almost my height now. His sandy-colored hair hung down much like his older brother Yutaka's, and his icy blue eyes had changed to have a slight aquamarine hue.

We all exchanged unsure glances, and I looked up at Koji who was standing above me, his feet planted on the swing and holding onto the chains to keep his balance. He smiled sweetly back down at me, and I passed him my soda for him to take a drink, leaning my head back on his legs. I fingered the necklace of blue Chrome Digizoid in my fingers, running my skin over the smooth metal, admiring its value with mere touch. "Knowing her, she's probably off trying to find some holiday deals. Sometimes that just pisses me off," I scoffed, speaking out honestly about the blonde's tendency to shop when she knew there were sales going on. And that would take her all day long, even if it was Valentine's Day.

"Did anyone even talk to her today? I haven't heard from her," Koji noted after sipping soda through the straw and passing the drink back down to me. Before wrapping his arms around the chains of the swings to keep his balance, although I doubted his coordination was well enough to do without hand security, he adjusted his winter hat on his head and swished his sleek, black bangs back out of his eyes. Man, did I love it when he did that. He topped the Justin Bieber hair swish, no contest.

We all shook our heads and gave our negative responses. There wasn't much of a way for me to talk to her if I had been with Koji all day long and he hadn't spoken with her, either. It made me ponder upon the idea that maybe she was with someone on this day of love, since if she was out shopping or something, one of us would've at least gotten a text message or call from her. That was what was so weird. She could never keep out of contact from the other Warriors for that long, she just was one of those people that died without human contact twenty-four-seven. In fact, even with Takuya, who had spent the day with Tamiko (he already started calling her by the pet name Tami), gave us a heads-up as to his location. And he was the ignorant one.

"She should be here! Why would she miss out in seeing her favorite person in the whole wide world?" JP blurted out. The Warrior of Thunder had long since seen the rejection of Zoe lack of attraction to him and he understood that, but strangely enough, sometimes he had random spurges when he'd spill out something that probably was meant to be kept inside his own head. And this last statement was the latest of one of these said things.

We all gave him a look of narrowed eyes as Koichi noted, "Zoe'll be here, JP. Although, she's never been _this_ late before. And she knows how important it is when we're all together." He toyed with the scarf around his neck as he said this after checking the time on his phone. Despite his words, his face remained nonchalant as it always was and he didn't appear at all worried. But that was normal Koichi behavior. He was the calmest one out of our entire group, none of us really sure how he could be that collected all the time.

A silence that followed was rather short-lived as we all turned at the sound of Takuya chuckling to himself. He was currently kneeing a soccer ball while looking at his phone, not even glancing at the ball as he was kneeing it. "Hehe, Tami's so funny…" he mumbled to himself with a big grin on his face, texting his new girl back before putting his concentration back onto his soccer moves. He'd gotten notably better at the sport than I remembered; he was the star player on the varsity soccer team at school. He played so well, and all the better when he was in an angry mood. He put some force behind his striking if he was in need of some sort of aggravation outlet. He looked at us and noticed our looks. "What?"

"Someone's jumped onto the happy train," I retorted, causing a few other members of the group to chuckle. My statement was probably an understatement. He'd been smiling from ear to ear ever since he arrived, enough grinning to cover the rest of us if we decided to frown. He told me that when he started talking with Tamiko after they left the store, they really hit it off. They spent the day together just sitting in a coffee shop chatting the afternoon away. And afterwards, he walked her home, both of them reluctant to say good-bye.

I was happy for the gogglehead. After weeks of moping around and playing endless video games, he actually was having a good time. He didn't have to wait around for Zoe anymore as she found some sort of happiness. He found a reason to get out of the house and live life as teenagers were expected. He wasn't alone on Valentine's Day; he didn't have to feel what that was like again. He had felt that enough when I had left him in my anger all those years ago. And now he didn't have to go another year.

"Hey, guys, sorry I'm so late!" We all turned to see Zoe running down the walk, her face bright with the love of life, her hair tied back into a bun, and wearing a coat over a lavender dress. Her smile showed all pleasantries and her delight, matched with her sparkling green eyes. "I kinda got caught up." She had something bundled up in her arms, holding it too tightly to actually see what it was at the distance she was currently at. But I was sure someone was gonna ask about it.

"Zoe!" Tommy's face brightened at the sight of who was once his mother-like figure when in the Digital World, and one of the people he didn't get to see all that often. He had a deep relationship with the blonde girl, something now like a kinship of whatever sort that one would expect siblings to have.

She ruffled his hair with one hand when she had gotten near. "Hey, Tommy. It's been so long, you're almost as tall as I am." She then looked at the rest of us, a greeting in her eyes, and then her eyes laid down upon Takuya, who had stopped kneeing his soccer ball and put his phone away. "Hey, Takuya."

He gave the smallest hint of smiles at the girl, and in a rather flat voice, said, "Zoe."

This had been the first time they talked to each other face-to-face for days. I could sense the tension between them, the awkwardness of a recent separation still shining through. The break-up wasn't technically a "break-up" in all of its understanding, more of a Friend's Ross and Rachel's famous "on a break" situation. Except for a while, Zoe had been the only one on a break, searching for someone else and her own self, but Takuya had remained dedicated. In situations such as these, it was one of his flaws. If there was any hope for his girl to come back, he'd wait for her. And it seemed that everyone but him realized that she wasn't going to return to him.

Zoe returned the smile to him, fidgeting uncomfortably as we all watched the two on silence. "I heard you met someone. Tamiko Hira, wasn't it? She's a nice girl; she's good for you." Her voice came out soft. Not in depressed kind of manner, just rather quiet so she wouldn't attract too much attention to the conversation, although there were already five other Warriors listening in intently. I'm sure we all knew that a fight wasn't going to break out between them—they were too close to fight—but just so we knew what kind of note they ended on.

Takuya avoided looking her into the eyes. "Yeah…" A long pause before he went on, "You have someone now too?" He glanced at the thing in her arms, which I could now clearly see was a box of some sort, as she nodded in response to his question. "…Is that from him?"

"Uh-huh…" She looked down at the box. "It's from him."

A silence grew within the group and nobody was looking at anyone else for a seemingly long duration of time. Until JP blurted out suddenly, apparently not knowing just finally eating away enough of his patience, "Well, what'djya get?"

Zoe glanced at the Warrior of Thunder momentarily, mumbling with her face turning a light pink, "Oh…" She pulled off the cover and we all leaned over to look (Koji leaning too far and losing his footing, falling off from his place on the swing not-so-expectantly). What I saw made a small smile grow onto my face.

Chocolates.


End file.
